Welcome to Bimmerfest -- The #1 Online Community for BMW related information! Please enjoy the discussion forums below and share your experiences with the 200,000 current, new and past BMW owners. The forums are broken out by car model and into other special interest sections such as BMW European Delivery and a special forum to voice your questions to the many BMW dealers on the site to assist our members!

We had this happen with our 7 and after many times of the engine going into "drivetrain malfunction" and replacement of injectors, BMW stood behind their product and made it right. We got the line of bad fuel also, but we ONLY use Shell premium. I honestly think BMW got the short end of the stick with a bunch of faulty fuel injector systems from a subcontractor and is getting jacked around too. I'm sure they're not happy either. They'll get to the bottom of this...

That's good to hear. As much as changing the cars opens up possibility of adding some options that I had time to think about I like this car a lot too - so I will be happy either way.

Who would have guessed - took the car for a drive past weekend and 20 minutes later - boom, same Engine malfunction error. I don't know how they were test driving it for a week without getting the error, but this time I will request that I test drive it with their tech inside the car once they hook up all the computers to it. Back to the dealer tomorrow.

Be VERY careful about "bad fuel"...this is BMW setting you up to take the fall, financially. I would fight them hard if they ever bring that up, and mst importantly if they ever put it in writing. Do you use a credit card for all your fuel purchases? (I think I could prove to them every tank of fuel I purchase came from Chevron, 76 or shell). BMW seems to believe that 'amerian fuel is bad', or maybe they hide behind it...but interestingly, they have a legal obligation to ensure that the cars they sell in america can run on the fuel that is sold in america. Just saying.

Something is wrong with THIS motor, otherwise they'd all be doing this.

A

I totally agree about the "bad fuel" run around. That is total BS that would p*ss me off for sure.

For the record, I recently went through a series of 3 engine malfunction low power warnings on my '11 X5 50i. One happened just as they started it to bring it up to me after a routine visit for state inspection. They wouldn't give it to me and kept it for 3 days. Replaced an injector. Happened again and they said it was another injector. Third time in the span of 3 months and this time they said that some hoses were worn out and had collapsed. All of this in only 23K miles over 25 months.

I certainly love driving it when it's working, but this thread is making me think twice about what's going on here. Obviously they don't know the solution yet and the same issue sounds like it's showing up on both the 35i and 50i engines.

The only upside is that I've had the chance to test drive nearly every model in the lineup. Wondering if I will go this route again next June when the lease it up.

Has anyone sent this thread to BMW customer service?? Is that something that they would respond to or want to see? Assuming they don't read this.

Good point on the fuel, thanks for the info. They are not insisting on it, and actually the first time mentioned that could be just a possibility, which is feasible, and replaced spark plugs, just in case, as there were carbon deposits. At this time they recognize the issue is somewhere else, so we will see. This makes me think about diesel if I end up changing the car, but that is a whole other discussion Another thing that bothers me is that the SA did say they had to open a PUMA case which usually means that some expensive and unusual repairs are involved that require BMW authorisation, yet nothing other than moving injectors around and driving the car is reported. I will talk to the SA when I bring the car in and request all the paperwork I can get on it...

Good point on the fuel, thanks for the info. They are not insisting on it, and actually the first time mentioned that could be just a possibility, which is feasible, and replaced spark plugs, just in case, as there were carbon deposits. At this time they recognize the issue is somewhere else, so we will see. This makes me think about diesel if I end up changing the car, but that is a whole other discussion Another thing that bothers me is that the SA did say they had to open a PUMA case which usually means that some expensive and unusual repairs are involved that require BMW authorisation, yet nothing other than moving injectors around and driving the car is reported. I will talk to the SA when I bring the car in and request all the paperwork I can get on it...

The time to get the paper work is before you sign the papers to pick up the car...they will not get paid, and will not give you the car back, until you sign where it says- essentially-"The work was done to my satisfaction".

PUMA is simply when they cannot figure it out locally- it is not "expensive" or "serious", necessarily... (although it usually gets to be). Sadly, BMW (and others) are seeking to reduce repair to a software program...pull codes, look up codes, run tests the computer says you need to do for those codes...when THAT doesn't work, the flowchart says "open a puma"... (I'm generalizing of course) The good news is that over time, the BMW database 'learns' and a failure that would be a PUMA on a new model is simply part of the routine TSBs they have.

Personally I think a PUMA is good, it means serious people are working on the car. Not that local techs can be very, very good...but the PUMA guys have access to so much more info.

The time to get the paper work is before you sign the papers to pick up the car...they will not get paid, and will not give you the car back, until you sign where it says- essentially-"The work was done to my satisfaction".

Very true. What is interesting, they did not need me to sign anything that time. The first time I went through a few pages and requested copies of everything I needed to sign or initialized, this time they gave me a printout with listed work and 0 charge and that was it, no signature. It was late in the day so the SA was not there to talk to... Is that normal or do I need to smell for a fish?

Update: got the car back. The same cylinders' 2 and 3 misfire codes recorded, and this time per bmw PUMA they replaced all 6 injectors, coils, and spark plugs, close to 3k in repairs (warranty). I test drove it over the weekend, although not as intensily, and no errors appeared. I also feel the engine got a bit of lighter feel - faster rpm increase, great response, very nice and clean sound. Wonder if they reset the accelerator program or something else? Will have to drive more to see for sure. Thanks everyone for their input!

Update: got the car back. The same cylinders' 2 and 3 misfire codes recorded, and this time per bmw PUMA they replaced all 6 injectors, coils, and spark plugs, close to 3k in repairs (warranty). I test drove it over the weekend, although not as intensily, and no errors appeared. I also feel the engine got a bit of lighter feel - faster rpm increase, great response, very nice and clean sound. Wonder if they reset the accelerator program or something else? Will have to drive more to see for sure. Thanks everyone for their input!

Just purchased a 2011 X5 35i two weeks ago, 40,000 miles, drove for 4 days when an engine malfunction reduced power notice flashed up, turned off vehicle and notice was gone, took to the dealership 100+ miles away and they have had the vehicle for 10 days as of today. I have been told the turbo is building too much pressure and is why its throwing the code. The BMW factory tech said it was a air pressure sensor, replaced and it threw the warning again. They ordered another part but I have a strong feeling no one knows what is going on. Can someone shed some light on this. I know when Turbos build too much pressure engines go bad and I am very worried about what happens when warranty runs out. I believe they should offer extended warranty for this problem or at least half off! I love the vehicle but am real close to going back to Acura.

ard,
I have a feeling that it was an ongoing concern prior to my purchasing the vehicle. I have not been told anything regarding the vehicle codes. After reading these posts I am going to request an itemized list of all codes that have been shown. I don't know what PUMA is but the BMW direct technician has been contacted to come over twice and I am still without the vehicle. Thanks for any help that can be provided

ard,
I have a feeling that it was an ongoing concern prior to my purchasing the vehicle. I have not been told anything regarding the vehicle codes. After reading these posts I am going to request an itemized list of all codes that have been shown. I don't know what PUMA is but the BMW direct technician has been contacted to come over twice and I am still without the vehicle. Thanks for any help that can be provided

I could copy directly but did not want to steal the line - here it is about PUMA:

Getting codes and detailed paperwork is important on multiple levels. I also learned that dealers may resist providing "too much" detail, but with some persistence that may be overcome. Good luck. My car still works and sounds like a swiss (should I say german) clock after the repairs, even after more testing. Will see if it holds up.

Update: got the car back. The same cylinders' 2 and 3 misfire codes recorded, and this time per bmw PUMA they replaced all 6 injectors, coils, and spark plugs, close to 3k in repairs (warranty). I test drove it over the weekend, although not as intensily, and no errors appeared. I also feel the engine got a bit of lighter feel - faster rpm increase, great response, very nice and clean sound. Wonder if they reset the accelerator program or something else? Will have to drive more to see for sure. Thanks everyone for their input!

Mine was doing the weak coughing upon a few (not all) cold strarts and warm starts the past two weeks. This is what had happened prior to the low power warnings I experienced twice earlier this year.
I took it in and explained as such, they kept it for two days. No findings.

Mine was doing the weak coughing upon a few (not all) cold strarts and warm starts the past two weeks. This is what had happened prior to the low power warnings I experienced twice earlier this year.
I took it in and explained as such, they kept it for two days. No findings.

Wondering when the warning will show up again...??

Those intermittent errors are the worst b/c it is so hard to isolate the cause. And, you can statistically prove they have some mysterious intelligence behind them since as soon as you bring it to the dealer, it hides Luckily, in my case I had a very simple procedure to trigger the effect. And, not to jinx it, no issues so far - it still drives like it should, pure joy, after the repairs.

So I was driving home from work last Friday heading to Watford. I had the car in DS mode and was driving in manual... As I got off A1M, on A414, I experienced a shocker! All warning lights came on and they went from amber to red in short intervals - they developed a brain of their own. The sat-nav, A/C, power windows and panoramic roof won't work, it was getting really cold and the transmission was stuck on gear 3 or so, I couldn't move faster than 40mph - a message came up 'transmission fault drive carefully' (may not be the exact message but in that line). I was sheet* faced and in panic I called BMW for advice. I was told about some extended warranty not been in place after taking my car reg that they can't come to me but I can come to them - miles off!. I wasn't interested in listening to some marketing spiel so I called AA but was on the phone forever. I decided to take the risk and slowly drove the car home - I was 4 miles away

I got home (phew! what a journey!) with car still in distress. I got on the phone to warranty company to discuss my impending trip to BMW and how they should expect a bill from BMW bla bla. I switched off the engine and after a few minutes I switched the engine on again.

What really got to me what the fact that I had no message or trace to a major incident that happened less than an hour before then. I was basically confused and happy at the same time cos I couldn't do without the car for a week which is how long BMW were going to keep it for.

I have now driven the car after the event for about 400 miles (5 days to work and back) and the limp mode never reappeared. I did noticed however that the car was not like it was 3 weeks ago. It's now feels slow (I may be paranoid) but i'm sure it's not not like before - the vroom is not half of what it was - this is a sound that makes the misses jump out of her skin when we go on the motorway.

I dread going to BMW dealer cos the last visit to the dealer was originally meant for tyre alignment but I ended up spending £2700 for all sort of things. I took it to a specialist and he did not see anything however he did tell me the fault code they retrieved could not be read by their computer in which case if I insist on knowing what happened I should race to BMW dealer whose computer will be more suitable to read the fault codes.

Has anybody experienced this sort of thing before on a BMW series? I don't mind spending money on my car but I just see this dealers as hungry people and fleece you off as much as they can or force you buy buy a new car with after giving you relatively high bill to fix problems on an 8 year old car.

I had the engine malfunction/reduced power light come on in my 2011 X5 50i (just over 51,000 miles). I was just driving slow in my neighborhood when it came on. At slow speeds it was shaking but if I went a little faster, it smoothed out. As soon as I got to a red light not too far up ahead, I turned off the car & turned it back on and it was fine. I then took it in for service a few days later without the light coming back on. I'm picking it back up today and the SA told me it was a blown injector and in turn the spark plugs also needed to be replaced. We'll see how it goes.